Writer

Freelance Travel Articles While Traveling

Although I have published plenty of articles in newspapers and magazines, I recently published a travel article while backpacking through Central America. It is no easy task writing on the road. First off, I did not pack my own personal laptop, which means I am at the mercy of outdated hostel computers with spotty internet (though my current hostel has iPads, a very rare exception). Secondly, most foreign keyboards have all the symbols in weird places that do not match the keys. For example, right now I would not be able to find the apostrophe key if my life depended on it. When I press the apostrophe key, a backslash appears like a stab in the back. But hey, who needs an apostrophe.

Beyond the technology troubles, it’s just plain hard to work while on vacation, especially when hostel computers are generally located in either the kitchen or living room. With friends waving ice cold beers in your face, it is hard to keep your fingers typing. It is even harder to keep working when say, a gecko falls on your head or a howler monkey calls out your window. It is a lesson in concentration to say the least.

Put all my traveler whining aside, this is a great biz. While staying at La Jungla in Panama, I was captivated by the place and the opportunities it provides to the local community. Every week, children from local schools and orphanages visit the center and basically play with the jungle creatures. They learn so much from the simple touch of feathers and fur. They begin to understand their own country’s diverse environment and how they are connected. After interviewing the owner, Dorothy Howes, I was more than happy to spread word about this hands-on wildlife rescue and education center.

The article, “La Jungla Wildlife Center in Boquete, Panama,” was published in the Central America Travel section on About.com, which is owned by The New York Times. Central America Travel receives approximately 500,000 page views every month. Not bad. Join the 500,000, and click here to read the article!